CMs - so emotional after one of my goodbyes, how am I going to cope when I properly finish and all my babies/children have left??!!!

[looneytune]

As a lot of you know, I'm finishing up with childminding in March after what will be nearly 8 years. I've just had my first 2 (siblings) last day, got another tomorrow, another in start of Jan, another end of Jan and then the rest in March (but most of my long term children are now/January).

When todays were collected I was given an envelope but wasn't allowed to open it until they'd gone (now I know it's because mum knew I'd be in a state and she would too). In the envelope was a card with lovely words, a picture from the children, another heart shaped 'We will miss you' thing with loads of little sets of words the eldest had written from them (incl. 'you have been great', 'you are helping and helpful', 'i don't want to go from you' and loads more!). I got a mothercare voucher, a very thoughtful bracelet with 3 charms 'A lotus for a new beginning', 'you are loved - beyond measure forever and ever' and a 'flower for friendship' but the best thing of all was a beautiful poem their mum wrote:

Helen Corbett it is clear you are,
The very best childminder around by far,
We've had some fun, we've shared some tears,
Laughter too over the years,
You've watched them grow, you've wiped their knee,
And then you've even cuddled me!
Words cannot say 'Thanks' enough
There's so much to say, so much other stuff,
We'll miss you ever such a lot,
But the years spent with you won't ever be forgot,
Your kindness, your creativity and your care,
Your planning, your energy, children everywhere!
Your car, your cat, your lovely husband too,
But most of all you simply being you,
Now enjoy some time for your boys,
They'll have back their house, their mum, their toys,
They, like us love you like no other,
Because you are also a brilliant mother
And when bump arrives and you have 3
That will take up any time that was free!
So as our time with you comes to an end
We say au revior, good luck and most of all
THANK YOU
to our amazing friend.

I've been in bits since reading this, think I would have been even without the added hormones!! I find goodbyes so hard, even though we'll see each other every week, it's just not the same! I've been caring for these children for 5 years and it's just going to be strange them not coming to my house any more, well in that way.

If I wasn't pregnant I'd be having a stiff drink right now!!!

Oh I welled up reading that!
What a lovely Mother to have written you such a thing and given you such thoughtful gifts.
What a brilliant impact you must have had on her children, well done you

(Congrats and well wishes on your pregnancy too )

That's really lovely. I know your mindees parents all think very highly of you and you will be missed. I'm sure they will keep in touch.

wickedwitchofwaterloo - I am SOOOOO lucky to have such lovely families to work with, me and my family are always spoilt by a lot of them and I still find it hard to accept these things all these years later. Having said that, this is the most PERSONAL and touching thing I've ever received and it's the 'thought' that's gone into it all which has choked me. I will treasure that poem forever!! :) Oh and thanks re pregnancy, got a long way to go yet but these have left me due to their mum's job changing from New Year.

HSMM - thanks, yes I will stay in touch with all of my long term children as we now have personal friendships so see each other for meals etc. anyway (plus lots are linked to the school). I'm not so sure about the ones who only started in September but I do try and stay in some kind of contact with everyone who has been in my care, I think it's nice :)

It's lovely :-) It's always lovely to read when families are appreciative of childminders/nannies, but that is probably the most touching thing I've ever seen to do with it!
Just think, when they are all grown up and what not, you will have that lovely poem to mark what a important part you played in their lives
... I'm setting myself off again now! Sob!

Don't, you'll set me off again!! I've banned myself from reading it again today as it sets me off each time. I'm delighted to have such a wonderful thing to look back on.

I'm quite emotional about this whole giving up thing (although looking forward to the change) and was looking at photos of some of my mindees when they were babies (a couple as young as 8 weeks old) and couldn't believe that one of them will be 5 in a couple of days, another 6 in couple of months and then there's one who turns 9 tomorrow who's been with me since they were 3 (not to mention all the others). They are like my extended family and have grown up SOOO much, it's been such pleasure to play such a big part in their lives and I will miss that mad big family atmosphere. But as the poem says, it's time to think of my boys for a bit and that's what I will be doing from 26th March until this one arrives (due 17th June).

That's another one gone now :( boo hoo. Got a nice new dressy maternity top as a thank you which was very kind as she said she thought I'd probably not bought myself anything (and she's right, just been using old stuff I had with the boys 5 + 10 years ago). Another lovely worded card. Managed not to cry but that's only as I MIGHT be having them for 2 adhoc days after Christmas to help out and I also get to see mindee once a week at school with their new CM so that helps :)

Right, now to enjoy 12 days off work :)

That's me done with childminding now, feels very strange! Most of today's leavers had only been with me on a very part time basis for 6 months but I've been overwhelmed with the cards/letters with such lovely words and such thoughtful gifts, never expected this, especially as I fell pregnant within days of starting with these children!! I've got a warm fuzzy feeling inside and I'm so pleased I'll be staying in touch with the families and of course I get to see the older children at school :) But I have to admit I am very relieved to have stopped childminding as although I loved it, I was working too full on and it definitely impacted on my family life, the way my boys were etc. I'm now looking to a bit of time being just mummy and having time for cuddles etc. with my boys. I've seen such an improvement with my own children since I've been winding the business down and it's going to do us all the world of good (I say this putting financial concerns to one side of course! And I'm looking forward to having time to get this damn diploma finished without having to use weekends away from my family to do it! :)

Time to think of yourself and your family Looney. Keep in touch.

Will do. I'll be back at Wed group once baby arrives and I think I might even pop in after the Easter break for a coffee and biscuit :)

As I look at my mountain of cleaning and paperwork admit I'm a tiny bit jealous! That's so nice you have had such thoughtful gifts, you are obviously very well thought of and been a lovely part of these childrens lives. Enjoy your time off x

Thanks. That's what I won't miss! I'll clean when I want to and not feel like it has to be perfect all the time, 2 year progress checks done and learning journals all handed over so once I submit my last tax return, that's my business paperwork done and dusted, just the course to complete. IF I ever went back to it, I'd start off being organised so it didn't get out of hand and I wouldn't work so full on again, it's not until I slowed down I realised I was doing too much! None of this is how I planned things, especially as dh is also out of work but for now, I'm trying not to panic about all that and just want to start getting my life in order before the baby arrives :)

And yes, I'm very lucky with such wonderful families! I ever felt this appreciated after working for the same company (office!) for 10 years and yet a lot of these had been with me such a sort time. I will definitely miss that bond with families but I get to see 10+ children I've minded at school which is great, one who left today is a little sister of someone in ds2's class so I'll still see her and a toddler mindee is now being looked after by a childminder whose son is in ds2's class so also get to see her. It also means I still see some of the parents from time to time at school (and of course I'm now good friends wth a few of them and will continue to socalise with them). People who aren't childminders find it hard to understand the relationship but I think it's a lovely a unique one and something I've loved about this job :)

Oh love I wish you all the very best

Lucky children to have been cared for by you over the years

Thanks Boys :)

One of the mums has organised a get together and photo shoot with my boys and 5 of the mindees, these particular mindees were with me for 5/6 years and my nearly 5 year old ds2 grew up with them all. We will choose the best photo of me with all 7 of the children and all get a copy and I'll have a framed copy up on my wall next to a framed copy of the lovely poem in my OP - these I will treasure forever :)

Good luck, Looney!!

I haven't been on the CM board for a while so had no idea you were finishing. I have a different NN now and do a lot of lurking inbetween occasional posting so you probably won't 'know' me. However, your NN is a very familiar one to me and I've always read your posts in awe of the lengths you go to for your families.

It sounds like you were very well thought of by your mindees and their parents .

I totally understand when you say you don't realise just how much you're doing until you stop. We started Easter holidays yesterday and my numbers are massively reduced during school holidays. I feel so calm and relaxed. This morning, I wondered if it'd be possible to have holidays all year...no school runs, no homework, no after-school activities. Just trips to the park, swimming, lunch in a cafe, making things out of pipe-cleaners and anything else that might be fun and non-stressful !! Unfortunately, it'd also mean no money for me so I'll keep plodding on for now!

Anyway, before I go off on one (have just deleted a huge ranty paragraph about my own CM job!), I wish you the very best of luck in your new CMing-free life and enjoy time with your DS' and dc 3 when he/she arrives!!

Oh bless you, thanks :) And now I'm wondering what your old name was??!! LOL Yes, full time holidays would be fab, I loved them although with 7 children all day from 7.30ish - 6, as much as I love them I'm not sure I coud do all year round!

No, that's true...I didn't think of that !!